Lane division line recognition apparatus, lane division line recognition method, driving assist apparatus including lane division line recognition apparatus, and driving assist method including lane division line recognition method

Abstract

The apparatus includes: a frontward imaging unit configured to capture an image ahead of the moving body; a frontward division line detection unit configured to detect a shape of a division line of a road surface, from the captured image, and calculate reliability of a frontward division line shape; a periphery imaging unit configured to capture an image of a periphery of the moving body; a periphery division line detection unit configured to detect a shape of the division line on the road surface, from the captured image, and calculate reliability of a periphery division line shape; and a division line shape determination unit configured to determine the shape of the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line shape and the periphery division line shape, based on first reliability and second reliability.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lane division line recognition apparatus recognizing a a division line on a road surface where a moving body moves, comprising:
 a frontward imaging unit, implemented by a first camera, configured to capture an image ahead of the moving body; 
 a frontward division line detection unit, implemented by a processor, configured to detect a division line on a road surface, as a frontward division line, from the image captured by the frontward imaging unit, and calculate reliability of the frontward division line as first reliability; 
 a periphery imaging unit, implemented by a second camera, configured to capture an image of a periphery of the moving body; 
 a periphery division line detection unit, implemented by the processor, configured to detect the division line on the road surface, as a periphery division line, from the image captured by the periphery imaging unit, and calculate reliability of the periphery division line as second reliability; and 
 a division line determination unit, implemented by the processor, configured to determine the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability, 
 wherein the division line determination unit calculates an offset distance between the moving body and the division line and an inclination between the moving body and the division line, based on the frontward division line and the periphery division line, and 
 wherein the division line determination unit increases the reliability of the offset distance between the moving body and the division line and the inclination between the moving body and the division line, which have been calculated based on the image captured by the periphery imaging unit disposed on a left side of the moving body or a right side of the moving body, so as to increase the weights for selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line. 
 
     
     
       2. The lane division line recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the division line determination unit determines the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by changing weights for selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the peripheral division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability. 
 
     
     
       3. The lane division line recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the division line determination unit determines the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, based on the periphery division line, when the first reliability is lower than a value that is set in advance. 
 
     
     
       4. A driving assist apparatus, comprising:
 the line division line recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 ; and 
 a steering controller configured to move the moving body according to the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, determined by the processor. 
 
     
     
       5. The driving assist apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an audio outputter configured to audibly output a warning to a user of the moving body, when deviation of the moving body away from the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is expected. 
 
     
     
       6. A driving assist apparatus, comprising:
 the division line recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 ; and 
 an outputter configured to output a warning to a user of a moving body, when deviation of the moving body away from the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is expected. 
 
     
     
       7. The lane division recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving body is a vehicle, which is controlled by steering based on the determined division line on the road surface. 
     
     
       8. The lane division recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving body is a vehicle, which outputs a warning when the vehicle deviates from a driving area based on the determined divisional line. 
     
     
       9. The lane division recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second camera is positioned on the moving body, which is a vehicle, and captures a plurality of images of the periphery of the vehicle and wherein the periphery division line detection unit detects a right division line and a left division line of the periphery of the vehicle. 
     
     
       10. A lane division line recognition apparatus recognizing a division line on a road surface where a moving body moves, comprising:
 a frontward imaging unit, implemented by a first camera, configured to capture an image ahead of the moving body: 
 a sunlight incident angle determination unit configured to detect an incident angle of sunlight with respect to the frontward imaging unit; 
 a frontward division line detection unit implemented by a processor, configured to detect a division line on a road surface, as a frontward division line, from the image captured by the frontward imaging unit, and calculate reliability of the frontward division line as a first reliability; 
 a periphery imaging unit, implemented by a second camera configured to capture an image of a periphery of the moving body; 
 a periphery division line detection unit, implemented by the processor, configured to detect the division line on the road surface, as a periphery division line, from the image captured by the periphery imaging unit, and calculate reliability of the periphery division line as second reliability; and 
 a division line determination unit, implemented by the processor, configured to determine the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability, 
 wherein the division line determination unit determines the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line based on the first reliability, the second reliability, and the incident angle, and 
 wherein the division line determination unit determines the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by changing the weights for selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the incident angle. 
 
     
     
       11. A lane division line recognition apparatus recognizing a division line on a road surface where a moving body moves, comprising:
 a frontward imaging unit, implemented by a first camera, configured to capture an image ahead of the moving body; 
 a sunlight incident angle determination unit configured to detect an incident angle of sunlight with respect to the frontward imaging unit; 
 a frontward division line detection unit, implemented by a processor, configured to detect a division line on a road surface, as a frontward division line, from the image captured by the frontward imaging unit, and calculate reliability of the frontward division line as first reliability: 
 a periphery imaging unit, implemented by a second camera, configured to capture an image of a periphery of the moving body; 
 a periphery division line detection unit, implemented by the processor, configured to detect the division line on the road surface, as a periphery division line, from the image captured reliability; and 
 a division line determination unit implemented by the processor, configured to determine the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability, 
 wherein the division line determination unit determines the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line based on the first reliability, the second reliability, and the incident angle, 
 wherein the sunlight incident angle determination unit executes at least one of:
 detects the position of the sun in the image captured by the frontward imaging unit, and calculates the incident angle of the sunlight, based on the detected position, 
 calculates the incident angle of the sunlight, based on a direction and a length of a shadow of the moving body in the image captured by the periphery imaging unit, and 
 calculates the incident angle of the sunlight, based on map information via a car navigation system, position information and time information via a GPS, and CAN information of a vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
       12. A lane division line recognition method for recognizing a division line on a road surface where a moving body moves, the method comprising:
 capturing, using a front camera, an image ahead of the moving body; 
 detecting, by a processor, a division line on a road surface, as a frontward division line, from an image captured in the frontward imaging, and calculating reliability of the frontward division line as first reliability; 
 capturing, using a peripheral camera, an image of a periphery of the moving body; 
 detecting, by the processor, the division line on the road surface, as a periphery division line, from the captured image, and calculating reliability of the periphery division line as second reliability; and 
 determining, by the processor, the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability, 
 wherein an offset distance between the moving body and the division line, and an inclination between the moving body and the division line, are calculated based on the frontward division line and the periphery division line, 
 wherein reliability of the offset distance between the moving body and the division line and the reliability of the inclination between the moving body and the division line, which have been calculated by the peripheral camera disposed on a left side of the moving body or a right side of the moving body, is increased, so as to increase weights for selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line. 
 
     
     
       13. The lane division line recognition method according to  claim 12 , wherein the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is determined by changing weights for selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability. 
     
     
       14. The lane division line recognition method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is determined based on the periphery division line when the first reliability is lower than a value that is set in advance. 
 
     
     
       15. A driving assist method, comprising:
 the lane division line recognition method according to  claim 12 ; and 
 moving the moving body according to the determined division line on the road surface where the moving body moves. 
 
     
     
       16. The driving assist method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 outputting a warning to a user of the moving body, when deviation of the moving body away from the determined division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is expected. 
 
     
     
       17. A driving assist method, comprising:
 the lane division line recognition method according to  claim 12 ; and 
 outputting a warning to a user of the moving body, when deviation of the moving body away from the determined division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is expected. 
 
     
     
       18. A lane division line recognition method for recognizing a division line on a road surface where a moving body moves, the method comprising:
 capturing, using a front camera, an image ahead of the moving body; 
 detecting an incident angle of the sunlight with respect to the front camera; 
 detecting, by a processor, a division line on a road surface, as a frontward division line, from an image captured in the frontward imaging, and calculating reliability of the frontward division line as first reliability; 
 capturing, using a peripheral camera, an image of a periphery of the moving body; 
 detecting, by the processor, the division line on the road surface, as a periphery division line, from the image captured in the periphery imaging, and calculating reliability of the periphery division line as second reliability; and 
 determining, by the processor, the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability, 
 wherein the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is determined by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability, the second reliability, and the incident angle, and 
 wherein the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is determined by changing weights between the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the incident angle. 
 
     
     
       19. A lane division line recognition method for recognizing a division line on a road surface where a moving body moves, the method comprising:
 capturing, using a front camera an image ahead of the moving body; 
 detecting an incident angle of the sunlight with respect to the front camera; 
 detecting, by a processor, a division line on a road surface, as a frontward division line, from an image captured in the frontward imaging, and calculating reliability of the frontward division line as first reliability; 
 capturing, using a peripheral camera, an image of a periphery of the moving body; 
 detecting, by the processor, the division line on the road surface, as a periphery division line , from the image captured in the periphery imaging, and calculating reliability of the periphery division line as second reliability; and 
 determining, by the processor, the division line on the road surface, where the moving body moves, by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability and the second reliability, 
 wherein the division line on the road surface where the moving body moves is determined by selecting one from or combining the frontward division line and the periphery division line, based on the first reliability, the second reliability, and the incident angle, 
 wherein the incident angle of the sunlight is calculated by at least one of:
 a position of the sun in the image, captured by the front camera, being detected, and an incident angle of the sunlight being calculated based on the detected position, 
 the incident angle of the sunlight being calculated based on a direction and a length of a shadow of the moving body in the image, captured by the peripheral camera, and 
 the incident angle of the sunlight being calculated based on map information via a card navigation system, position information and time information via a GPS, and CAN information of a vehicle.